How to say "clarification" in Japanese

• 弁明べんめいCommon
  suru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveCovers clarification as explaining or justifying oneself in the face of blame, such as accounting for a mistake to a boss; its defensive nuance makes it a poor fit for neutrally clearing up a statement.
  君きみは自分じぶんの不始末ふしまつをどう弁明べんめいするのか。↗

  What account can you give of your misbehavior?
• 解明かいめいCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers clarification as unravelling or shedding light on something obscure — the cause of an incident, a mystery, how something works — typically through investigation or analysis rather than personal justification.
  政府せいふは委員会いいんかいを設もうけてその事故じこの解明かいめいにあたらせた。↗

  The government appointed a committee to investigate the accident.

Use 弁明 when clarification means explaining or justifying yourself in the face of doubt or blame, and 解明 when it means clearing up or unravelling something obscure, such as a cause or mystery.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 弁明べんめいexplanation
• 解明かいめいelucidation
• 明徴めいちょうclarification
• 闡明せんめいclarification
• 明確化めいかくかclarification